Stars
by Seductive Venus
Summary: Sasuke surprises Sakura with his decision.


Title: Stars

**Title: **Stars

**Author:** Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Sasuke x Sakura

**Theme:** 16. Night

**Rating:** T

**Disclaimer:** Naruto was never mine.

**A/N:** Slightly OOC in some parts but this is fanfiction! Enjoy. :D

Haruno Sakura was gathering her freshly laundered clothes from the line. It was almost twilight. Another day in Konoha was almost finished. She smiled as she inhaled the fresh and sweet scent of her newly washed clothes.

Her eyes strayed to the sky. Darkness was spreading like a comfortable blanket. The stars were the designs, she mused. This was the time of day that she rarely saw.

Thursday was washday. She helped her mother wash their clothes when she could. It was one of the normal chores that she usually missed. Household training was as important as ninja training in their house. Just because she was a top kunoichi did not mean she cannot be a good wife, her mother always said.

Sakura merely giggled to herself. It was a funny thought. Ninjas did not have much time for household chores. They were always busy and on the go. They had missions to accomplish and places to be. They had wars to fight and enemies to defeat. There was not much time to wash clothes, cook food and send the children to school.

It was a hard life. If she truly wanted to be as great as Tsunade-sama, she would have to sacrifice. She would have to let go of some childish dreams like building a home and creating a family.

She sighed. Well, that was impossible to start with. There was only one man she wanted to be with. She was still unsure if Uchiha Sasuke will ever want to have those things with her.

Of course, he still wanted to rebuild his clan by settling down and having a family. But she did not know if she would be the lucky woman he'd choose to have it with. There were plenty of women in Konoha. There were plenty of admirers and fan girls to provide options. She was only one of them.

Sasuke would choose me, she told herself. He would love me.

"Penny for your thoughts," a deep voice said.

Sakura blinked. She smiled as soon as she saw her visitor.

"I'd rather have a dollar," she replied coyly.

"I'm not into giving expensive alms," Uchiha Sasuke said coolly. He was standing right in front of her. She did not know how he got inside their yard without her noticing. She suddenly wondered what he was doing there.

Sakura forced out a giggle. "What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised.

He stared her. "You've offered to wash some of my blankets because my laundress didn't. Don't you remember?"

She slapped a hand to her forehead. Sakura laughed. "I remember, Sasuke-kun. I'm sorry. I had a lot of things on my mind lately. I'll just fold them up and you can go on your way."

With a grin, she went inside to the living room. Sasuke had no choice but to follow. Sakura's parents were not at home. She sat down on the couch where the blankets were. With quick hands, she started to fold them up.

He sat down on the floor at her feet and watched her. She had an unconscious grace as she deftly folded the blankets into neat squares. He stared as the pile grew higher and her hands moved faster. She was smiling. She looked as if she actually enjoyed doing such a menial thing.

"If you need my help again, don't hesitate to ask." Sakura said cheerfully. She finished folding the tenth and last blanket before setting it on top of the pile. She got up to take out a paper bag from the hall closet. With a giggle, she gathered all the ten blankets in her arms and placed them neatly inside the paper bag.

"Thank you," Sasuke said very quietly.

Sakura heard him. She gave him a very sweet smile. "It's my pleasure to help you, Sasuke-kun."

With a glance at the wall clock, she gasped. Her eyes widened as she noticed that it was almost dinner time. She needed to heat some of the food in the refrigerator and switch off the rice cooker. Then she had to set the table and wait for her parents to come home.

Sakura remembered that Sasuke was still in front of her. "Would you want to stay for dinner?"

Sasuke thought about it. If he went home, he was looking forward to another take-out dinner. He'd put the blankets on the closet in his bedroom before getting ready for bed. He'd sleep early and wake up early. He looked at Sakura and smiled in spite of himself.

"Sure," he said.

Sakura beamed. She pulled his arm to lead him to the kitchen. It was a room filled with delicious smells and warmth. Sakura talked to him while she worked. She had plenty of funny stories about her kitchen disasters and experiments. He realized that he liked watching her work. She was energetic and enthusiastic about her cooking. It was an unexpected side of her.

He turned his gaze to the kitchen window. It was night. He didn't realize that he'd spent so much time in Sakura's house.

She glanced at him. He was deep in thought. Sasuke was a handsome young man with classic good looks and a serious demeanor. If she didn't know any better, he was just like the heroes that she'd read about when she was younger. But it was not his looks that she loved.

She loved him for who he was. She understood his past, his hurts and his needs. She was aware of him with every fiber of her being. His moods, ambitions and regrets were hers. Sasuke might try to push her away but she would not let go. She was going to stay in his side because she loved him. She was not in love because of position, power or prestige. She wanted only Sasuke.

Sasuke thought about how much he missed having someone care for him. The house was always cold and lonely. Sakura's house was warm, happy and comfortable. It actually reminded him of the pink-haired girl. She was responsible and sensible; she was sweet and comforting. He wondered if she could bring the same kind of radiance to his house.

How good it was to come home to somebody who loved him.

He was struck with the thought. Sakura cared about him. Sakura loved him.

She was not merely in love. She loved.

Sasuke did not feel panicked or disturbed. He felt warm feelings that he would never have allowed. It felt... right.

He looked up and locked gazes with Sakura. Then they smiled.

He did not fall in love. He loved her before he even realized it.

Sakura served dinner. She was a gracious hostess who made him laugh and feel at ease. He forgot that it was his clingy, noisy and helpless teammate. The kitchen was her domain and she was a goddess. He reveled in her attention in his own way. He fought back thoughts that maybe Sakura would be another man's wife.

Sasuke looked at her with horror. No, she would not have another man. He would be the man who will come home to her arms and her love.

Sakura remained oblivious to his inner struggles. She pushed back her insecurities and her worries. She focused her attentions on him without being obvious. He knew about her devotions anyway. She wanted to spend an evening with him without jeopardizing everything. If he chose her, she would be happy. If he didn't, she'd accept it.

She gave him a smile and toasted him with her wine glass. His cheeks reddened slightly. She threw her head back and laughed. How she wished that this evening would never end.

When Sakura saw him out at the end of the night, she was surprised when he suddenly kissed her on her doorstep. The paper bag carrying the blankets fell on the floor. How Sakura wished that their loved would never end. The stars winked.


End file.
